WHO AM I (GOD) ???

                                         Part 2

Just to give you a quick summary of Part 1 concerning the “Who am I (God)?” blog, I focused on the Holy Spirit and will continue to do so, and why would I, you could rightly inquire?  Hopefully as I do so, you will come to appreciate just who the Holy Spirit is and His place in each of the lives of who surrender to Him and ask Him to!   

After Jesus ascended into heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit (as written in the Book of Acts) to baptize (placing people into His church) those who invite Him into to their lives i.e., those who have a desire and seek to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and where did this “desire” come from - the One whose desire is for all His beloved to be baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Tragically, too many in and out of the church were/are infested by the Satanic “spirit of ignorance” and consequently, people believed and continue to believe to this day,  that they were and are Christians – however, it is in name only because first of all, they never invited Jesus into their lives i.e. being “born again” (John 3:3) and in addition, are so very unaware of just Who the triune God is - Elohim (Genesis 1:1 & 26),  “in the beginning”.

Thus, the Trinity: “the executive is the Father, the architect is the Son, and the contractor is the Holy Spirit.” (Holy Spirit Gifts and Power – Paul Walker NKJV Bible). Jesus as He was preparing to ascend, told the disciples that the Holy Spirit’s task here on earth is to be “another” Helper, Comforter, Teacher, Wisdom and the One Who empowers those who are baptized in the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ place.  The Holy Spirit is also our “Potter Who makes us and molds us”. It is crucial that we keep in mind that “to baptize those who invite Him” is a must in order to be spiritually empowered for the ministry which the Holy Spirit has ordained for His disciples – then and now! The scripture in Matthew 9:37-38 fits nicely here: “Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.’” Thus, the question…. are you one of His laborers empowered by the Holy Spirit? 

It behooves us to consider just what is meant to be “empowered” by the Holy Spirit. Consider this as written in American Dictionary of English Language, Noah Webster 1828 – in our world a legal term - one who is “authorized and given power” to do what and by whom?  The Holy Spirit is the One who guides us with His power and wisdom to “go do”.  It is crucial at this point to add “a spirit - filled believer must operate under the ‘gift of discernment’, otherwise he could well be operating and being deceived by the devil who so wants us to ‘go do’”! The gifts/fruit of the Holy Spirit will be discussed in the next blog.

Keep in mind that a Christian who is not Spirit-filled can indeed be a laborer, but sadly, such labor is not very effective because it is of the flesh and not under the empowerment of the Holy Spirit!

Consider that Jesus as man, was baptized in water by John the Baptist as recorded in Matthew 3:16; and then baptized immediately afterward by the Holy Spirit in Matthew 3:17 in order to begin His “empowered” (i.e. “authorized and given power”) ministry of “setting the captives free” – those who will, that is!

Jesus was 30 years old when this took place and the beginning of His ministry for 3-and one-half years before He gave His life on the cross for “those who would accept Him as their Lord and Savior.”

After His resurrection, He remained on earth for 40 days. Why? So, He could prepare His disciples for their ministry. At the point in time when Jesus was confident that the disciples understood just what their assignment was, he ascended into the spirit-world. In so doing, He released them to fulfill His greater assignment which was, for them, to “go do” to the ends of the earth as He had commanded them.  This assignment was not only for those disciples of the past, but those who have been ever since including present day disciples - “go do”!

This was known as the “Great Commission” which is found in Matthew 28:16-20:

“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth. Go there and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’”

To clarify…God sent Jesus to earth to be the Sacrificial Lamb who would bring salvation (being set free from) for “those who will”.  To repeat, He lived for 30 years preparing Himself for the 3½ years of ministry and training of the disciples.  Then He was crucified and rose from the dead to spend 40 days with the disciples, making sure they were spirit-filled (empowered) and understood the ministry for which they were commissioned.  Jesus shared with them as written in John 14:12,

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”

Keep in mind that the “greater works” meant in quantity, not quality. Just who is the instigator of the multitude of people not understanding/ accepting being “born again and filled with the Holy Spirit” as written in the Book of Acts (actually the Acts of Jesus/Holy Spirit)?

The Adversary/Accuser/Deceiver/Destroyer (Satan) who fell because of his pride was created by the Triune God. Satan was part of the heavenly council and whom God had to punish by sending him and his demons to earth where their mission was to destroy man.  Satan’s mission was also to keep the world in the dark and thus ignorant concerning the Triune God. Satan has been very successful in deluding the Body of Christ into believing that being filled with the Holy Spirit is not a necessity!  Tragically, the devil is very good at doing so – as I stated in the previous blog, consider just how many churches over time, have been “divided/destroyed” because of the battle in welcoming the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the One who empowers, comforts, teaches, convicts Christians of sin and empowers the flock in serving the Lord God Almighty and His desires to see mankind set free from the snares/bondages of the devil, especially for those whose churches who are under the power of man instead of the Holy Spirit (to be discussed in a later blog revealing just who Satan is)!  

The questions must be asked at this time, where are you in your relationship concerning the Holy Spirit, and where is your church in this battle?  Is your church ministerial staff under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, or under the leadership of man?

“How will I know?”, you rightly ask.

Consider this –

·       You will know once you have been born again, and baptized with the Holy Spirit – as were the 120 disciples gathered together in the Upper Room in one accord awaiting the Holy Spirit to come upon them so as to empower them for the beginning of God’s Church by “setting surrendered hearts ablaze”. (Acts 2:1-4)

·       To repeat, Jesus received the Holy Spirit when John the Baptist baptized Him in water in Matthew 3:13-17. Again, keep in mind that Jesus as man, was baptized in the Holy Spirit in order to begin His Church and to empower those who have surrendered to God’s TRUTHS.

·       Ask the Holy Spirit for His wisdom concerning your church….is it under the power of man or under the power of the Holy Spirit?

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5) Please ask, for your spiritual life, your ministry and that of your church depends upon your answer…it truly does!

·       Are there spiritual gifts/fruit of the Spirit at work in your church? These will be discussed in Blog 3.

Years ago, I was driving past a church where I had served and looked over to it, remembering those days and said to the Lord – “Your church is in trouble!”  As soon as I got that out of my mouth…the Holy Spirit spoke within, declaring….”MY CHURCH IS NOT IN TROUBLE” meaning, there is God’s Church and there is man’s church!  My prayer has been and is “Lord God Almighty, may Your Church reign.”

Watch for Blog 3 of “WHO AM I?”



           BE GLORIFIED, OH LORD, BE GLORIFIED

Who Am I???

                                                                                     
I would like to share a prophetic word which was revealed to my wife and me on Sunday morning of June 9, 2019 during our “worship” time. At one point during our quiet time, we found ourselves so lamenting the hurts (sorrows/griefs) that fellow Christians have/are experiencing by the millions throughout the world, tragically!

I am still on the crucial topic of “Sorrow/Grief”, however, I am approaching it from a different slant for the time being!

I felt led to ask the Holy Spirit (as I do often during our quiet time) if He had anything that He wanted to share with us. So often we are blessed when He does indeed speak to us not in the flesh, but in the Spirit (our innermost being) and this is what we heard that morning:

“My children, you are experiencing My heart. It so grieves Me when My children have little or no concept of ‘Who I am’. I want you to pray for and encourage those that I bring to you – where there is so much hurt, lack of hope, lots of sorrow, despair, and loneliness among My people. I will equip you with an anointing that when I speak through you – you will be enabled to set My people (those who are being held captive) free.”

You might well be declaring . . . ”Of course I know who God is, why would you even need to ask such a question?” Really? Let us continue.

However, before we continue, it is crucial that we give attention to the Holy Spirit.

How many of you have had the awesome experience/blessing of hearing the Holy Spirit speak to you in the Spirit – in other words, not through your physical ears, but deep within your innermost being – hearing His still small voice? Please keep in mind, He will not shout at us! That’s why He tells us to focus on Him and to “be quiet/still” in our very being so we can “hear” the Holy Spirit guide and direct us as we walk along each day. It is so easy to be distracted in the moments of the day and sadly miss what the Holy Spirit is saying to us!

Please keep in mind that the Holy Spirit is of the Godhead – the Father, the Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit – the triune God – Elohim, the All In One God.

How does one become “baptized” in the Holy Spirit? First and foremost, one must be “born again” as it is written in John 3:1-16. At this point, I would like to share my personal experience with you.

I was “born again” in 1975. My wife and I comment from time to time as we reflect on our “experience” that all along until 1975, we believed we were indeed (but sadly in name only) “Christians”, because we were not of another religion. Three years later, a friend gave me a book entitled “THE HOLY SPIRIT and YOU” written by an Episcopal Rector Dennis Bennett who was evicted from his church because he became spirit-filled. He, would you believe it, received the gift of speaking in tongues, as did the Apostle Paul who encouraged those (and us) to whom he ministered, especially in 1 Cor.! I was oblivious to just who the Holy Spirit was, since I grew up in New England, attending churches which tragically being “born again” was unheard of, let alone being baptized in the Holy Spirit! I learned over the years, sadly, that “one cannot give away that which one does not have”!

When I began reading the book, I soon learned that my whole being was the Holy Spirit at work in my life like never before – such a blessing! Upon completion, I closed it and placed it on the couch beside me, and said “God, I have no idea what this I just finished reading is all about, You know where I grew up and basically was ignorant of You, tragically! However, IF this is of You, I want ALL that You have for me!” It wasn’t a few seconds until I “heard” a word come into my very inner most being which was unknown to me! I went to my wife and shared with her what had just taken place. She smiled and said, “I believe this is the beginning of the gift of speaking in tongues for you” (for she had received hers a year earlier but didn’t tell me – for she was afraid of what I would say).

That was all that took place that evening. However, the next morning as I was driving to school where I was an elementary school principal, I no sooner got on the highway when I began singing in an unknown language (I had never sung while driving) and it was if my car was taken out from underneath me and I would have floated to school!

Thankfully, my life was never the same. The Holy Spirit is at work in me! Praise God! All because I surrendered to Him and asked Him to “fill” me with His empowering Spirit! If this can happen to me as a born-again child of the living God, it can happen to you. All one must do is first of all, be “born again” as stated earlier. Then simply ask the Holy Spirit to “fill you with His Spirit” and by faith, trust that you were indeed “baptized” with the Holy Spirit, as Jesus was when He was baptized by John the Baptist in Matthew 1:16! Try it, you will like it and you will be so blessed – guaranteed!!

Another experience concerning the Holy Spirit took place when I was offered a “swap” position in the school of education at a college not far away for one year. The professor wanted to return to a public-school teaching position in the county where I was an elementary school principal so as to “refurbish” her teaching skills.

An incredible “God experience”: One day, one of my advisees came to my office at the college seeking advice concerning her classes. During our time together, I was “guided” by the Holy Spirit to ask her where she “was” with the Lord God Almighty. She began to cry. As she began to calm down, she shared a horrible experience she had one Sunday night about three years ago concerning a pastor who was about to teach those who desired to receive their “prayer language – speaking in an unknown tongue”. Tragically, he instructed them saying “all you have to do is to open your mouth and your new ‘language’ will come pouring out”! She opened her mouth as instructed and nothing came out of her mouth – obviously tragic advice, to say the least! Immediately she felt that God had “slapped her face” leaving her with the devil’s lie that she wasn’t “good enough” to receive her prayer language. As a result, she lived with that lie for those three years!

I told her that we would address this and “fix” that which she had suffered at the church three years ago. We left my office and for privacy, we went to my car where I began to instruct her as to receiving the “gift of tongues” as spoken about in 1 Cor. 14:1-25 where the Apostle Paul provides the guidelines for “exercising” the gift of tongues. I would encourage you to spend time reading the words of Luke in Acts 2 concerning what took place with the “coming of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of God’s Church”.

Back to the car – first, I instructed her to “ask the Holy Spirit to fill her with His spirit and to provide her especially with her gift of tongues” that she had so long desired. Then I shared with her that I, as a model for assisting her in receiving her “tongue”, would begin praying ever so softly, to encourage her to “step out”, with the precaution that she not try to copying my “language”! Next, I told her to begin using her tongue out loud in making sounds of all sorts, and not to be concerned as to the sounds she was experiencing. She began making sounds and it wasn’t long before she began to consistently express the same new words. I encouraged her to continue speaking and soon she indeed was speaking in her new “language”! Before I knew it, she opened the door and ran across the campus now knowing that the Holy Spirit revealed to her that she was indeed “good enough” to receive her prayer language! Such a blessing, and one each of you can experience – IF you so desire, truly!! Check out what the Bible declares in the scriptures I have shared. Praise God from Whom ALL BLESSINGS FLOW. Amen?

As Jesus, Who was crucified and was getting ready to ascend to the Father 40 days after his resurrection, gathered His apostles (sent-forth ones) and said to them after showing them His hands and His side in John 20:20-22: So, Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And as was said in verse 22 “And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” And in the Book of Acts 1:5, Jesus gathered the apostles and said to them “For John truly baptized, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Verse 8, describes the beginning of the empowerment of the church for ministry. The “not many days from now” comes to pass in the upper room where they were gathered in “one accord” – it was crucial that they were in one accord (agreement) or they could very well have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit! (Acts 1:12-26; 2:1-47). Could this be a warning to churches that if they so desire to “walk in the Holy Spirit”, that they must indeed be in “one accord”? “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1 Cor. 14:33) and thus could well be that the gifts and empowerment of the Holy Spirit as written about in 1 Cor. 12 could well be nullified, tragically!

First of all, in order to be aware of His presence, or hear Him speak to our very inner most being (two different experiences), we must be “Spirit Filled” i.e. baptized by the Holy Spirit, as Jesus was in Matthew 3:13-17 which was the Holy Spirit anointing Jesus, thus beginning His ministry, and “led away by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil…” (Matthew 4:1-11) Keep in mind that Satan “left Him” (v 11), guaranteeing that the devil would return, as he does with us – thus always keeping in mind that “we are at war in the heavenlies” with the devil and his demons! Keep in mind what is written in Matthew 11:12 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent (those of us who have been empowered by the Holy Spirit) take it by force”! Thankfully, Jesus overcame Satan with the help of the Holy Spirit, as we will as well, because it is written in Deuteronomy 31:8:

“And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed”

Since He is God Almighty (Jehovah – “Self-Existent Eternal God” (Exodus 20:2) with one of His names (and He has 40 names) being El Shaddai – The All Powerful God, He could and has spoken to anyone…even through a donkey to Balaam in Numbers 22:28! And to the animals for going onto the Ark, is another example.

Tragically, so many believers truly are unaware of Who the Holy Spirit is! It must be stated here that far too many churches become divided because part of the congregation wants no part of the Holy Spirit (Satan’s work in dividing the church body) and the other part believe in and so desires to “Be filled with the Holy Spirit” now (present tense), as it is declared in Eph. 5:18.

You could very well ask, how does this that you are sharing concerning the Holy Spirit, relate to the question “Who Am I”?

Hopefully, one must know that in Genesis 1:1, the scripture sets the critical foundation concerning the clarification of just “Who God is”! In this case, God is identified as “Elohim” which in the Hebrew, translates “God in the plural – the Triune God (the Three in One). Thus ’God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit’”. We also read in Genesis 1:26, further support as it is stated “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness….”.

Thus, the Person of the Holy Spirit is of the Godhead and each has His own special function (attributes).

Considering the Holy Spirit, it has been said “The Bible reveals that the Person of the Holy Spirit has been the primary agent in all of the ministry of the Word throughout the centuries and the triune Godhead operates coequally, coeternally, coexistently, as one unit. Also consider that each member of the Trinity has the special function: the executive is the Father, the architect is the Son and the contractor is the Holy Spirit.” (Holy Spirit Gifts and Power – The New Spirit Filled Life Bible page 1849)

We will continue sharing further information concerning the Holy Spirit, such as gifts of the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the Holy Spirit and then return to “Who Am I” blog.

                                BE GLORIFIED, ALMIGHTY GOD, BE GLORIFIED

Sorrow/Grief Blog 7

Greetings, precious saints of the triune God . . . the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Again, I find myself continuing to write about the peace stealer - “Sorrow/Grief”! One would expect non-Christians to be wallowing in sorrow and grief, in that tragically, they are living in the flesh and are standing on “sifting sands”, but surely not God’s children who are to be standing on the Rock of Jesus Christ. Jesus tells us, “Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who build his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24-27) In keeping this analogy, we must keep in mind what is written in James 1:22-25 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in the mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of a man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the word, this one will be blessed in what he does,”

We, therefore, must first “hear” what the Holy Spirit is saying to us or we would not have any idea of that which we are to be “doers”! It is here that it is crucial that we keep in mind the first step in the importance of hearing what the Holy Spirit is saying to us! It must be declared, however, that a believer, meaning born again, must also become “Spirit-filled” – i.e. asking the Holy Spirit to “fill” (baptizing) him/her. Please keep in mind just Who God is . . . the triune God . . . God the Father, Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, thus, the “Three in One”!

The Holy Spirit, obviously then, is found throughout the entire Bible . . . from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22-21. In the New Testament (Matthew 3:16-17), Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist then “the heavens were opened to Him and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alightening upon Him, and suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’”

This then was the beginning of the availability of the Holy Spirit to believers as we read in Acts 1 verses 4 and 8

4 “And being assembled together with them (the Apostles), He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’ . . . 8 ‘But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’”

In order to truly be “empowered by” the Holy Spirit and “Go do the things that I did while on the earth” as Jesus commanded His apostles, ask the Holy Spirit to “fill” or baptize you. Your life will never be the same and you will truly be able to hear “His still small voice declaring ‘this is the way, walk ye in it.’” Tragically, too many Christians are not aware of such a blessing, and thus are not “empowered” to fulfill His desire for us to “witnesses” to the ends of the earth!

Thus, it is so very crucial that we exam just where our focus is in our daily living! Are we so caught up in the flesh (our own living with all that that entails) giving little attention to the need to be focusing on Biblical truths and God’s promises?

Let’s return to Exodus 14 and to Moses and the incredible experiences he was having dealing with the severe trials and tribulations concerning the children of Israel. This is an excellent example of living in the flesh.

Remember the story where finally Pharaoh let the children of Israel go and they thought that finally they were free from slavery under Pharaoh. What happened next? Pharaoh and his finest six hundred chariots took off after them. Now the “lesson” begins . . . it did not take long for the people to “be very afraid” and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord and came against Moses most harshly. Obviously, they were walking in the flesh neglecting the promises of the Lord God Almighty concerning their freedom from Pharaoh! Consequently, the spirit of fear came over them. They were so focused on their “emotions”, i.e, the battle that furiously was going on in their minds - looking at things seen, not on things hoped for, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1) This is the trap we Christians fall into all too often! We must also keep in mind that Satan who tragically is very often the instigator of tricking us believers into a “lack of faith” and as a result, we spiral into sorrow and grief, in that we continue to look at things seen, and not on things hoped for.

Considering the necessity of having faith, their focus certainly was on what they were experiencing, pure and simple! How many of us fall into such traps where we are walking according to the flesh, tragically forgetting God’s promises, especially concerning His “watch care over His children, spirit, soul, and body”.

We must keep in our minds that the deceiver, Satan, will trick us into “thinking” (focusing) so much on fretting, worry, fear, depression, the way we treat our bodies, despair, sorrow/grief, the “what if’s etc. It is imperative that we be so discerning as who is talking/influencing us! Our lives so depend on such discernment . . . in fact the ‘gift of discernment” has been made available to us by the Holy Spirit as are other “Gifts” of the Spirit, thankfully! There will more concerning the Holy Spirit in blogs to come.

Thus, the battle . . . it has been said “there is a battle between our feelings and God’s truths!” Which ones are we going to pay attention to – our feelings or God’s truths?

Blog 8 concerning sorrow/grief will consist of the four enemies we have as we walk through the “battle of life”!

1. The flesh
2. The world
3. Satan
4. The church (man’s church as opposed to God’s Church)

BE GLORIFIED, ALMIGHTY GOD, BE GLORIFIED

FOR YOU ARE WORTHY TO BE PRAISED

Enhancing Your Christian Walk - Sorrow/Grief Blog 6

Before we begin Blog 6, I wish to thank the thousands of readers wo have joined me in this experience since I published my first blog in March 2015.  I wish to especially thank my international readers from 39 different countries.  As I publish each blog, I pray that it is the Holy Spirit whom I believe is using me as His instrument in sharing what He has for each of you...such a blessing, indeed!  In keeping with this statement, may I ask each of you to pray that what you read is indeed God’s truths.

In Blog 5, we “unwrapped” 2 Cor. 10:3-6 which deals with where we are walking - in the flesh or in the Spirit, putting on the full armor as written in Ephesians 6:10-18, including the weapons of our warfare, taking down strongholds, the carnal mind (such as controlling our thoughts/actions), and sin which contribute to living with sorrow/grief! Additionally, there were strategies for our focusing on peace, hope and the promises of the Lord God Almighty!  We must be so very thankful and praising our Lord Jesus for His sacrifice on Calvary and the incredible gift of salvation (being set free from. . .), amen?

In beginning this blog, let’s consider the critical question “Where is your focus – on your sorrows/griefs or on the triune God and His truths?” Another way of attacking your status is “do you live with an attitude of defeat or one of hope that only your loving Father can provide you?” Most importantly, where is your faith in the face of such hopeless living? Paul, in Hebrews 11:1, states “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Let’s consider the book of Lamentations which deals with Jeremiah living in sorrow and grief because of his beloved Jerusalem being in such affliction, and as well, God’s anger with Jerusalem! Thus, we see Jeremiah lamenting from chapter 1 through 3:18. Let’s listen in to what he is declaring in verses 18-26:

18 “And I said, ‘My strength and my hope have perished from the LORD.’ 19 Remember my affliction and roaming, the wormwood and the gall. 20 My soul still remembers and sinks within me.

Then something drastically changes in his thinking as for surely the Holy Spirit speaks to him because then he exclaims

21 “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.”

He continues,

22 “Through the LORD’S mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

A beautiful hymn concerning this truth the follows:

24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, therefore I hope in Him. 25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. 26 It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation (being set free from. . .) of the LORD.”  

In verse 21, Jeremiah sees God’s mercy at work in his life. The question becomes “are you waiting quietly for the salvation of the LORD, i.e. being set free from whatever is causing you to lament (sorrowing and grieving)?” Why is it so significant to “wait quietly”? Jeremiah was far from waiting quietly in previous chapters! 

We see the children of Israel fleeing from Pharaoh and his warriors in Exodus 14. They became most sorrowful and filled with other emotions, such as fear, because they thought they were on the way to freedom from the Egyptians, but soon learned that Pharaoh and his chariots were after them! It is interesting that in verse 10, “they were very afraid and cried out to the Lord.” Yet, in the very next verse they rose against Moses because it was all his fault that they were under attack.  Initially “they went out with boldness” (Exo 14:8), but then the spirit of fear overcame them! 

Consider what Moses said to the people (as he was listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit), “Do not be afraid.  Stand still and see the salvation (being set free from…) of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you and you shall hold your peace.” (Exo 14:13-14)

There is an incredible lesson in all this, regardless of their previous many years of much sorrow and grief because of their bondage in Egypt, the LORD rescued them . . . His way and His time!!  It is crucial that we focus on our LORD instead of what is going on around us causing us to live in sorrow/grief!  For those of you are living in sorrow and grief, the scripture tells us “to wait quietly”.  Why? How can we hear the still small voice of the LORD stating, “be still and know that I am God, and the plans that I have for you are for good and not for evil”?  As I have shared before, I like to declare “I restfully and patiently wait upon the LORD trusting Him to deal with that which is affecting me”!

Thus, we truly have a choice as stated previously - focus on that which is stealing our peace and our joy because of past, future, or present events in which we ourselves have lost our hope, or “stand still and see the salvation of the LORD God Almighty.” Also, if we continue to allow the flesh to walk in sorrow/grief, it opens the door wide to be “double minded” which gives Satan an invitation to harass us, keeping in mind dear saints, there IS HOPE, as it is stated in James 4:7-10

7 “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners and purify your hearts, you double minded. 9 Lament and morn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the LORD, and He will lift you up”.

One of His Hebrew Names is “Elohim Ozer Li, God My Helper.” (Ps. 54:4)

Please keep in mind that which is written in James 1:2-8

2 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the LORD; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

Is it fair to say that if one is living with sorrow/grief day in and day out that he/she is double-minded and unstable in all his/her ways? How so? Lack of faith!

So be encouraged and have hope as is stated in Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” 

A crucial question…are you diligently seeking Him?  If not, why not?

Keep in mind, it is most important as the scripture tells us, to “take every thought captive to the pulling down of strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:4) and in doing so, with the Holy Spirit’s help, we will walk victoriously as never before. That is one of God’s promises to us, and we know He never ever breaks His promises, thankfully!

Be glorified, Almighty God, be glorified

To be continued . . .   

ALMIGHTY GOD AND HIS USE OF SORROW/GRIEF IN OUR LIVES - PART 5

I would sincerely encourage you to read blogs 1-4 concerning this topic, if you have not done so already.

These scriptures must not be taken lightly! Before we continue, let’s “unwrap” what is being declared in 2 Cor. 10:3-6.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when our obedience is fulfilled.”

First, what is the definition of “flesh”? The following definition is found in the American Dictionary of English Language – Noah Webster 1828. Note: I find scriptural definitions in this dictionary to be much more meaningful/ reliable than current “modern” dictionaries which tragically omit scriptural references! It would be most interesting to learn just when dictionaries began to omit Biblical references!

*  Flesh – “The body, as distinguished from the soul”, men in general; mankind.” As declared in Genesis 6:3 “My spirit shall not always strive with man forever for he is indeed flesh. . .”

* The carnal mind – “For those who live to according to the flesh set their minds on things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. A carnal mind is an enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors – not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.”  (Romans 8:5-14)

*  “Carnality – ‘The flesh lusts against the spirit.’” (Gal. 5:17)

*  “Corrupt nature – ‘Flesh and blood cannot    inherit the kingdom of God’” (1 Cor. 15:5) and “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.” (2 Cor. 10:3-4)

* “Sin” and the scriptures are replete with the dangers of sin – for sure, a huge part and parcel of the corrupt nature and, definitely, a humongous cause of sorrow/grief! Is man’s behavior related to himself in the flesh? If so, obviously, he is not walking in the Spirit of the LORD! Thankfully, the LORD has provided His children with spiritual ways for dealing with sin in our lives, thankfully! Consider Psalm 32:5 which declares “I acknowledge my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” The footnote referencing this verse notes that “Transgression means rebellion”. (New Spirit Filled Bible)

*  “Weapons/Warfare – Struggles with spiritual enemies”. Concerning spiritual warfare, I highly recommend a study of Ephesians 6:10-18 which discusses the putting on of the “Whole Armor of God”. May I strongly recommend a book which deals with daily readings concerning spiritual warfare: THE CHRISTIAN IN COMPLETE ARMOUR by William Gurnall, a minister who wrote in the 1600s. (Moody Press).

Written in the publishers’ preface of Gurnall’s book was this “The stage whereon this war is fought is every man’s own soul. Here is no neuter in this war. The whole world is engaged in the quarrel, either for God against Satan, or for Satan against God.”

We are told by Paul in Ephesians 6:10-18, that we are to “put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil”.  Always keeping in mind “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh and that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in the pulling down of strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:3,4)

Please keep in mind that we are to “put on” the full armor and keep it on, 24/7! Warriors do not take their armor off during warfare! We saints are in warfare 24/7! Some saints believe they can take it off when they go to bed and put it on when they wake up! It has been declared that we are to “maintain a battle stance against this satanic structure” (Kingdom Dynamics – New Spirit-Filled Life Bible)

*  Strongholds – “Anything opposing God’s will” and resides where? In the mind!  How so, you ask?  As I have declared often, we are told in the scriptures that we are to “take every thought captive (my emphasis) to pulling down of strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:5) and “. . . casting down every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought (again my emphasis) into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” (2 Cor. 4-6)

Do we have control over our thoughts where the warfare begins?  We had better, or we are in serious trouble!! This could be an entirely new way to “thinking” for many believers!!  Consider this. . .” who is the author of many of our thoughts. . . the “deceiver”– Satan himself.  It is crucial that we seek the “gift of discernment” as just who is talking to us in our minds! (Hebrews 4:12)

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

As Christians, we must seriously consider such choices as:

·             Constantly focusing on our sorrows and reaping the consequences AND REAPING THE CONSEQUENCES as mentioned in the definition above.

·             Focusing on the faith of God, not in God and His promises, by searching for the appropriate promises throughout the scriptures.

·             Please consider coming before the Holy Spirit who BATHES us with His perfect peace – Jehovah Shalom for the LORD is peace, and such a blessing!

·             "Bringing every thought captive to the pulling down of strongholds” as stated previously.

·             "Casting (flinging is the correct translation) all our cares upon Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

·             Choosing to walk not "According to the flesh, but according, to the Spirit ". (Romans 8:1)

·             Seeking out sincere Christians for comfort, support and wisdom. 

This requires us to be “still and know the salvation (being set free) of the LORD who is with you. . .”  (2 Chron. 20:17) If we are not “still” in His presence, we will not experience His peace . . . for He is also our comforter as well. Consider Jesus as He was getting ready to ascend to the Father, the disciples were so much in “sorrow” that He declared "And I will pray to the Father and He will give you another Helper, (Holy Spirit) that He might abide with you forever." (John 14:16) Jesus was also addressing “some of His disciples” concerning His ascending to the Father "Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy." (John 16:20)

You must remember that this scripture is just one of many, many of His promises and He stands on His promises which do not return to Him void, and thus so must we stand on His promises!

Note that when the Sorrow/grief blogs have been completed, there will be a follow up blog concerning Spiritual Warfare.

To be continued in Blog 6.

Be abundantly blessed, O LORD God Almighty,

Be abundantly blessed    

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ALMIGHTY GOD AND HIS USE OF SORROW/GRIEF IN OUR LIVES - PART 3

As I awakened one morning, the Holy Spirit spoke to me saying “Take My hand, My precious child.” For in Psalm 85:8*, it is stated “I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly” (foolishness)

Tragically we, as His children, have such a tendency (propensity) all too often to go our own way - walking in the flesh (our own minds) as opposed to walking in the (Holy) Spirit! And in so doing, we separate ourselves from focusing on the LORD God Almighty thus, allowing ourselves to open the door for Satan to direct our paths for the moment/day/week, etc.  And therein the great possibility for sorrow/grief to hover over us in our utmost inner being.

We cannot begin to imagine the sorrow God experienced and experiences even now because people, even Christians grieve/quench Him. . . let’s consider what the scriptures declare concerning this.

We must keep in mind the sorrow that began early on as we read beginning in Isaiah 14:12-21 the story of how Satan, once an angel called Lucifer, “son of the morning or Light Bearer” surely grieved the LORD Who had to evict him and send him to earth.

In Gen., chapter 3, we see that it didn’t take Satan (the serpent) long to interfere in God’s plan for His creation to live a bountiful and glorified life on earth. Satan truly believed as he tempted Adam and Eve in the garden, that he had the upper hand at this point…little did he know what was and is ahead for him and his minions, because it is written that there will come a time when “the devil will be cast into lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever”. (Rev. 20:10)

In Gen. 3:16, we read where the LORD is talking to Eve, “To the woman He said: I will greatly multiply your sorrow….”  Another example where we create our own sorrow!

It is also written in Gen. 6:5,6 “And the LORD was sorry that

the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continuously. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.”

We read in Ephesians 4: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by Whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”  I would refer you to verses 25-32 relating as to all the ways we indeed grieve the Holy Spirit, and in 1 Thess. 5:18 it is also declared “Do not quench the (Holy) Spirit.”

Consider the 40 years the children of Israel spend in the “trial in the wilderness”. . .and the LORD lamented in of Psalm 95:10 “For 40 years I was grieved with that generation, .  .  .”

Questions which must be asked at this point are:

-        LORD, is there anything in the past or the present where I am grieving You in that I haven’t sought repentance?  I would ask You, Holy Spirit, to please reveal that which has grieved or quenched my LORD. 

-        LORD, what am I to learn from my sorrows?

-        Are there any unconfessed sins or even confessed sins that I am still wrestling with that are allowing sorrow into my life?

-        It is most crucial to keep mind God’s faithful provisions/promises as we read in 1 John 1:7-10; 2:1-2 for our dealing with any and all sin in our lives:

Ø  Vs. 7: “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Ø  Vs. 8 “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” and

Ø  Vs. 9 is a powerful scripture for declaring immediately when a sin is committed “If (a HUGE little word) we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

This is an appropriate time to share what was exclaimed in the powerful devotional STREAMS IN THE DESERT for January 18, concerning sorrows.  “Sorrows come to stretch out spaces in the heart for joy.” What an awesome thought! Please keep in mind that we have the choice of continuing to walk in the mind set of sorrow, which is in the flesh, or in the Spirit which is where we find our joy, always remembering as it has been said, “the Word of God transforms our minds”, thankfully! All this means is that we have choices of where we focus – the flesh (mind/emotions) or the Spirit!  It has been said that the “Battle begins in the mind”!

In addition, there is a constant battle between our feelings and God’s truths! The 64-dollar question then must be “which are we going to pay attention to – fleshly feelings or God’s truths?”

Tragically, too many believers are their own worst enemies in that they allow sorrow to reign in their very being. “How so, you ask?” We know through scriptures, that the LORD forgives our sins as stated above in 1 John 1:9 “IF we confess our sins”, but the huge question becomes “do we forgive our own sins?” Sadly, too many of us are in such bondage in our not forgiving ourselves in that we believe the lies of Satan who persistently deceives us into thinking we don’t deserve to forgive ourselves!!  It is imperative that we focus on the comforting scripture which declares “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, (Satan who is the spirit of error and the world) because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (Satan who is the spirit of error) 1 John 4:4.

And as is written in Jer. 8:18, “I would comfort myself in sorrow.”  I could hear many of you declare “that is the most ridiculous comment I have ever heard”! Remember, it is scripture!  I challenge you to “think it through”!  We will deal with this in Blog 4.

Consider what is stated in 2 Cor. 10:3-6:

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ . . . .”

Also, please keep in mind that I am not minimizing sorrow in the least, but again it is how we approach it either in the flesh or in the Spirit and that makes all the difference in our lives!

Blog 4 will contain strategies that we can use to assist us in

overcoming sorrows.  

Be glorified Almighty God, be glorified

* All scriptures are from the NEW SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE BIBLE (NKJV) Jack W. Hayford Executive Editor